Exit Strategies


Recent Exit Strategies Articles

What 2012 Business Sale Trends Mean For 2013

New data shows that sellers pushed to unload their small businesses before the possibility of a Fiscal Cliff and higher tax rates. What does this mean for 2013?  Read more

Is Seller Financing For You?

In today's challenging business-for-sale market, buyers expect some form of seller financing. But if you aren't careful, seller financing could sink you.  Read more

Selling Your Business: Timing Is Everything

Knowing the right time to sell is key to getting the best return for your business. Here are five things to consider about your exit strategy.  Read more

What Dell's Attempt to Go Private Says About the Public Markets

As Dell becomes only the most recent company trying to flee the public markets, you have to wonder why.  Read more

Why an IPO Can Kill Your Innovation

A Stanford study finds that tech companies undergo a major innovation slowdown after going public.  Read more

Weed Out Window Shoppers From Prospective Buyers

Tired of wasting your time with unqualified buyers? By asking these five questions, you can begin to separate the lookers from serious buyers.  Read more

Convert Community Goodwill Into Cash

You've worked hard to build your company's reputation in the local community. Convert that goodwill to real value as you prepare to sell your business.  Read more

Buddy Media's Michael Lazerow: 'You Don't Want to Be Too Early' 

Long before Michael Lazerow sold Buddy Media, his social marketing firm, to Salesforce.com for $745 million, it took him many months to even get a client to ...  Watch video

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Businesses are like relationships. Sometimes you just need to move on. But how do you know for sure?  Read more

The Secret to a Successful Family Succession

You're mistaken if you think that selling your business to a family member will be easier than selling to a stranger.  Read more

Planning Your Exit? Get Creative

Frustrated by a sluggish marketplace, more and more small business owners are relying on creative exit strategies to sell their companies.  Read more

Why Small Business Sales Have Dried Up

With the economy experiencing slow but steady growth, why is the business-for-sale marketplace still sluggish?  Read more

Is Your Business Broker a Stud or a Dud?

Working with a broker can take a lot off your plate. Here's how to choose the one that's the best fit for your small business sale.  Read more

Is It Time to Sell Your Company?

You've built a valuable company that's attractive to potential buyers. How do you cash in without selling out?  Read more

Journey From Start-up to IPO

Software-maker ExactTarget went public earlier this year and now boasts a market cap of over $1.3 billion. Founder Scott Dorsey explains the journey.  Read more

How Obama Will Help or Hurt Your Business Sale

President Obama won't have much time to celebrate his win as several key issues loom that could have a large effect on your ability to sell a business.  Read more

How to Build a Company You Can Sell: 4 Rules

A seasoned entrepreneur offers his best tips to get to an exit. A good first step: Give up the idea that you're building the next Facebook.  Read more

Prep Your Business to Sell for Top Dollar

A little polishing up today can boost the value of your business tomorrow. Here are three places to start.  Read more

Long Before the IPO: Shutterstock's Formative Decision 

To sustain a business, Shutterstock CEO Jon Oringer had to balance his price for photos with his payment to photographers.  Watch video

How to Sell Investors Your Dream 

NYC TechStars managing director David Tisch on how to make an effective case for getting funded.  Watch video

Is My Company Really Worth More Than The New York Times?

Evernote CEO Phil Libin ponders his company's billion-dollar valuation.  Read more

Buying a Small Business in a Foreign Country

Your hired experts and own personal research are essential tools for success when purchasing a small business in another country.  Read more

5 Steps to a Successful Seller Financing Deal

With today's tight lending restrictions, offering seller financing may be the key to selling your business and earning a big takeaway.  Read more

5 Best Resources for Selling a Small Business

Don't kid yourself. You're going to need help to pull off the successful sale of your business. Here are five resources you'll need in today's marketplace.  Read more

How to Sell Your Business (& the Land It's On)

When small business sellers own their buildings and land, they need to plan properly in order to successfully sell each.  Read more

Facebook COO: Small Business Is Web's Holy Grail

As Sheryl Sandberg courts Madison Avenue and Wall Street this week, she discussed Facebook's IPO fallout and wooing small business.  Read more

Managing the Emotional Toll of Selling Your Small Business

Don't let your emotions--sorrow, anger, or a sense of loss--hijack the sale of your small business. Here are tips on keeping a level head.  Read more

Why'd You Start Your Business? 3 End Goals

Before you do anything else, figure out why--in the first place--you launched your business. You need to know now what you want to get out of it.  Read more

Entrepreneur Ben Lerer: 'I Realized I Had Been Going to Work the Wrong Way' 

When his father, Ken Lerer, sold The Huffington Post, Ben Lerer realized it's not all about the exit.  Watch video

Is Your Company Suffering From Short-Term-itis?

Managing partner of Satori Capital Sunny Vanderbeck says an overemphasis on short-term results can cause relationships with key stakeholders to erode in a bu...  Read more

Steve Case: IPOs Are Good for You

The founder of AOL makes a good case for why an IPO is often the best exit strategy for a company's founder. But Case has his reasons, and they may not be yo...  Read more

How 'Confidential' IPOs Are Changing the Market

In April, the JOBS Act ushered in a new way to go public. It's already popular.  Read more

Is the IPO Party Over?

The initial public offering has long been the ultimate goal of successful entrepreneurs. But now the decision to go public is much more difficult--and riskie...  Read more

Forget IPO. The New Goal? Get Acquired

Economists might explain the decline in IPOs through market conditions. The start-up and venture capital communities see it differently.  Read more

Wait, the IPO Party Is Just Getting Started!

An IPO could still be the right exit strategy--if your company fits the bill, or breaks the old rules.  Read more